Lubricator.



No. 796,586. PATENTED AUG. 8, 1905.

' J. w. LESTER.

LUBRIOATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 11110.31, 1904.

28 Jamed [Vlwier I 9 Wfcnesses 1 nventor,

l I V I 7! I Attbmess UNITED STATES J AMES W. LESTER, OF BLUFFTON,

PATENT OFFICE.

INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO RED CROSS INDIANA.

LUBRICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Aug. 8, 1905.

Application filed December 31, 1904. Serial No. 239.216.

To all whom/ it nm/y concern.

Be it known that I, JAMES W'. LESTER, a citizen of the'United States, residing at Blulfton, in the county of ells and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Lubricator, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lubricators, and has for its object to provide an improved device of this character designed for overhead use, particularly for windmills and similar elevated machinery, and to provide for conveniently controlling the device from the ground, thereby to avoid climbing to the top of the windmill every time it is desired to lubricate the operating parts thereof.

Other objects of the invention are to effectually prevent leakage, to effect a prompt and continuous flow of the lubricant whenever desired, to effect a prompt and effective stoppage of the supply, and to provide for removin g the controlling members from the oil tank or reservoir whenever repairs are required without necessitating the entire removal of the lubricant from the reservoir.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing,and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spiritor sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing there has been shown a longitudinal sectional view of a lubricator embodying the features of the present invention.

The device of the present invention includes a tank or reservoir 1, having a removable top or closure 2, whereby a liquid lubricant may be readily introduced into the reservoir. An upright cylinder 3 has its open lower end piercing the bottom 4 of the reservoir and projected slightly below the latter, the upper end of the cylinder being provided with a cap 5, from which rises a tubular elbow 6, substantially semicircular in form, with a comparatively small pipe 7 depending from the outer end of the elbow, with its lower end terminating adjacent the bottom of the reservoir to form the inlet-leg of a siphon, as will hereinafter appear.

A branch pipe or elbow 8 extends from one side of the cylinder 3 or the discharge-leg of the siphon adjacent the lower end thereof, with the lower end of said branch passage opening through the bottom 1 of the reservoir within an annular depending flange 9.

A substantially circular base member 10 lies centrally beneath and adjacent the bottom of the reservoir and is provided upon its top with a centrally dished or concaved boss or elevation 11 to fit within the flange 9, there being a packing-ring 12 embracing the boss 11 and bearing against the lower edge of the flange 9 to form an oil-tight joint between these members. Suitable fastenings 13, preferably bolts, pierce the base 10 and have their heads engaged with peripheral seats or notches 14:, formed in the flange 9, whereby the base 10 may be drawn snugly against the flange 9. The under side of the base 10 is provided with a pendent hub portion 15, having a central screw-threaded opening in alinement with the open lower end of the leg 3 of the siphon.

A pipe 16 is threaded into the threaded opening of the base 10, and a smaller pipe 17 is detachably connected to the lower end of the pipe-section 16 by means of a coupling 18, which is reduced at its lower end, as at 19, to accommodate the pipe 17 and form an internal annular shoulder at the lower end of the pipe 16.

Upon the lower end of the pipe 17 there is a hollow feed-head or distributer 20, which is of inverted substantially conical form and is provided at its lower end with an internallythreaded opening 21. Suitable branch or distributing pipes 22 pierce the tapered or conical sides of the distributer 20 and extend to the various parts of the windmill or other machinery to be lubricated. Within the pipes 16 and 17 there is a guide-tube 23, which rises from the distributer 20 and has its lower end threaded into the opening 21 in the bottom of the distributer. A plunger-rod 2 1 works through this guide-tube, with its upper end projected into the leg 3 of the siphon and provided with a plunger 25, there being a helical spring 26 embracing the guide-tube, with its upper end bearing against the under side of the plunger and its lower end resting upon the internal annular shoulder 19, whereby the plunger is yieldably held at its upper limit.

For convenience in manipulating the plunger from the ground or other point remote from the reservoir a suitable connection 27,

preferably a wire, is secured to the lower end of the plunger-rod 24 and is provided with a suitable handle 28. A swivel 29 is included in the connection 27 to prevent twisting of the latter by the rotation of the windmill around its plunger-rod as an axis.

In the normal inactive condition of the present device the plunger 25 is at the top of the discharge-leg 3 of the siphon, whereby the liquid lubricant is prevented from flowing out of the reservoir. Upon drawing down upon the handle 28 the plunger-rod 2 1 and the plunger 25 will be drawn down, thereby producing a partial vacuum within the leg 3, whereupon the excess pressure within the tank or reservoir will cause the lubricant to rise in the leg 7 and pass through the member 6 into the discharge-leg 3, and when the plunger 25 passes below the upper end of the branch passage 8 the lubricant will flow through the latter into the chamber formed between the bottom 1 of the tank, the base member 10, and the flange 9, through which the oil will pass down through the pipes 16 and 17 into the distributer 20 and thence out through the branch pipes 22 to the various portions of the windmill or other machinery to be lubricated. So long as the plunger 25 remains below the open upper end of the branch 8 the siphon will continue in operation and oil will be continuously fed through the service-pipes 22. Upon releasing the handle 28 the expansion of the spring 26 will automatically elevate the plunger 25, and thereby stop the siphon, and thus out off the supply of oil. It will here be noted that the spring and the plunger-rod are maintained in a lubricated condition by reason of the lubricant passing down through the pipes 16 and 17, which is a very important feature of this invention; also, the upper end of the guide-tube 23 operates as a stop to limit the downward movement of the plunger.

Should it become necessary to replace the plunger by reason of wear or to repair any of the other parts of the actuating means, the fastenings 13 may be removed and the base 10, together with all of the parts attached thereto, may be removed from the tank without necessitating the removal of the lubricant, for the reason that the atmospheric pressure through the open discharge-leg 3 of the siphon will prevent operation thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. A lubricator comprising a reservoir, a chamber upon the under side of the reservoir, a siphon contained within the reservoir with its discharge-leg piercing the bottom thereof into communication with the chamber, a branch passage leading from the disch a rge-leg of the siphon and piercing the bottom of the reservoir into communication with the chamber, a spring-supported plunger working in the discharge-leg of the siphon and normally held above the branch passage, a pendent pipe leading from the chamber in alinement with the discharge-leg of the siphon, and a controlling-rod connected to the piston and projecting through the lower end of the pipe.

2. A lubricator comprising a reservoir, a siphon, a pipe leading from the discharge of the siphon, a plunger workingin the dischargeleg of the siphon, a plunger-rod working in the pipe, means connected to the outer end of the rod for actuating the same, there being a stopshoul der within the pipe, and a spring bearing against the stop-shoulder and the plunger to yieldably maintain the latter at its inner limit.

3. A lubricator comprising a reservoir, a siphon contained within the reservoir and having its discharge-leg piercing the bottom thereof, a discharge-passage leading from the discharge-leg of the siphon and piercing the bottom of the reservoir, a chamber inclosing the lower open ends of the discharge-passage and the discharge-leg of the siphon, a pipe leading away from the chamber in alinement with the discharge-leg of the siphon, a distributer carried by the lower end of the pipe, service-pipes leading from the distributer, a tubular guide rising from the distributer through the pipe, there being a shoulder within the pipe, a plunger-rod working through the tubular guide, a plunger carried by the upper end of the plunger-rod, a spring hearing against the shoulder and the plunger to yieldably maintain the latter in an elevated position, and means connected to the lower end of the plunger-rod for moving the same against the action of the spring.

1. A lubricator comprising a reservoir, a siphon within the reservoir with its dischargeleg piercing the bottom thereof, a discharge branch passage leading from one side of the discharge-leg of the siphon through the bottom of the reservoir, there being a pendent annular flange carried by the bottom of the reservoir and surrounding the open lower ends of the branch passage and the dischargeleg of the siphon, a base member detachably clamped upon the flange to form a chamber between the base and the bottom of the reservoir, a pipe piercing the base in alinement with the open lower end of the discharge branch of the siphon, a plunger-rodworking in the pipe, a plunger carried by the rod and working in the discharge-leg of the siphon, a spring to yieldably maintain the plunger elevated, and means connected to the plunger-rod for moving the plunger against the action of the spring.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES W. LESTER. 

